… the happy screams of our kids as they sandwiched each other between their boogieboards, sprinted through the shallows flinging sand, and popped each other in the back of the head with supersoakers…

… slightly sandy fruit salad and the tang of salt water.

The glorious senses of summer!

*running in slow motion to drums and a piano* I’ll be rea-dy… (I’ll be ready)… never you fear (no don’t you fear)… I’ll be rea-dy… fore-ver and al-ways… I’m always here…

We’ve been living on the Gold Coast for four years this July, and this was only our first Christmas morning at the beach! And only our first visit to Tallebudgera Creek Beach too – we’re spoilt for choice with beaches on the GC.

Pensive: Now who is gonna cop this I wonder?Uncompromising: Even the summer sun can’t beat this glare.Affectionate: A beautiful bonding moment. … I took this shortly before he threw his beloved daughter into the air like Shaq going for a 3 pointer.

Since Stu offered to got railroaded into entertaining the older kids, the rest of us sat back on the beach relaxing and enjoying the spectacle of our children flying through the air.

None of us had any idea how aerodynamic a 5 year old could be…

You’d think the caption would be *SCREAM* but she didn’t make a sound. She was like Newt in Aliens.

… least of all Stu…

!!!!!!!!!!!$%#!!!!!!!!!

Miss P soared an impressive parabolic arc then hit the water in a spectacular face plant. She popped up smiling though, (*PHEW* wheee wasn’t that fun???) and for the next half hour Stu had our little people lining up to be tossed.

Roars preferred to be dragged at high speed through the shallows by Daddy. He probably figured he’d get less wet.

He might’ve been wrong about that.

Finn on the other hand relished the air time, doing cannonballs and showing off when he spotted my camera.

Pre-flight instructions?You will believe a boy can fly.

That was just too good. Here it is again!

Of all the things I love about this photo, his facial expression is the best.

Once their human slingshot was sufficiently exhausted, the kids reluctantly moved on. We spent a couple more blissful hours in the sun, making memories of an awesome day. I’m so thankful to have this extended family of good friends – I’m especially loving watching all the kids grow up together because we were lucky enough to have had that too, when we were kids. (If you’re reading, you know who you are!)

The two oldest kids in our crew, bickering like brother and sister. Again.

(A typical argument, overheard at another get-together;)

(Names have been changed to …something more descriptive.)

Ms Tapdance Diva: (frustrated with the monster truck track): Stupid technology! Why did they even invent this dumb thing?!

Mr Captain Obvious (fed up, stirring her): Why did they even make you be born?!

If you’re up in the icy north, I hope you’ve found a nice cosy little nest somewhere, and that pictures of a sunny beach have warmed you up a bit. If you’re down in the steamy south, enjoy these long summer days when and while you can, because we’ll be freezing our nuts off again before we know it.

– Michelle

P.S. Everyone south east watch out for Cyclone Marcia (MARCIA MARCIA MARCIA!!!) just in time to ruin the weekend. 200-500mm rain predicted, flash flooding, damaging winds, gusts up to 125 km/hr, high tides, beach erosion, possible tornadoes. The usual.